Happy Fourth of July!

July 4th, 2009 Posted in writing

July 4th is here with its fireworks, parades, and picnics. It’s a day to celebrate our freedom as individuals and as a nation. Along with the oratory and patriotic words, our celebration of the day ought to also occasion a renewed commitment to recognize our connection with others.

On the Fourth of July we should let our faith remind us that each of us is connected to every other person in the world, and independence doesn’t mean isolation. On the contrary, just as the diminishing of freedom anywhere lessens freedom everywhere, it’s also true that freedom anywhere offers hope for freedom for people everywhere.

Our personal and national freedom, then, should be a blessing for others not just for us. Whether or not that is the case will depend on whether our connectedness with others can overcome our tendency sometimes to think only of ourselves.

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